


Oh, The Irony

by aupazonne



Category: Fantastic Four
Genre: Alternate Ben Grimm, Alternate Doctor Doom, Alternate Hank Pym, Alternate Reed Richards, Alternate Susan Storm, Angst, M/M, No Porn, This is a alt reed x 616 doom, are you impressed?, cheesy ass ending, dimension travelling, lot angst, pinning, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 13:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12191190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aupazonne/pseuds/aupazonne
Summary: The incursions always bring destruction and despair. Except when Reed Richards falls from one.





	Oh, The Irony

**Author's Note:**

> **I STOP YOU RIGHT HERE**
> 
> This is a story between an Alt!Reed Richards and 616!Doctor Doom. 
> 
> You may continue, civilian. 
> 
> Also, not beta'd.

The incursions are a terrible disease in the multiverse and now an incursion portal just opened above his country. Doom will not allow his people to be hurt by folly beings trying to take over his dimension. 

The king is pleasantly surprised to notice his son fighting on the roof of the castle. He knows the Illuminati are watching from afar. Richards is on his radar, always here and his insignificant friends around doomsday scenario. However, the matter is with his son. 

Doctor Doom jumps on the roof and stuns two interdimensional beings. Those outrageous beasts are neither cunning nor powerful. It shall be an easy fight.  
Kristoff gasps and point at the sky, where a sudden light appear and a bright white sphere blind the Latverian monarch in a blast. The strength of the blast actually disrupts his armor sensor, when something heavy falls on him, his armor doesn’t calibrate to absorb the impact. It stuns the king. 

\------------------------------------------

Victor groans when he hears a voice repeatedly say his name, louder and louder. 

“What is it, Kristoff?” Snaps Doctor Doom. 

“You have woken up! We thought the hit might have put you in a coma!” Begins Kristoff. 

“What happened, child?” 

“We won! The Incursion is finished. Boris thought it would be good to bring the corpses of the threats in the morgue.”

“We already knew those details! What dared attacked my integrity!?”

“A Reed Richards.” 

‘A’ Richards is what struck him. How ironic. Surely one to save his pitiful insect friends he destroyed earlier. 

 

‘’Bring the fool’’. Orders the king. 

Doctor Doom sits in his throne, ignoring his doctors’ plea to check him before he conducts more satisfactory activities. He waits grimly for the guards to bring the invader.  
The throne doors open and two doombots pull, indeed, a Reed Richards to him. The Richards from another dimension looks exactly the same, except for a yellow costume with a four number in Roman typography and green eyes. 

‘’Hello, your majesty.’’ Salutes Richards, in the exact same voice than the one from this dimension. 

Doom lifts an eyebrow. The physical resemblances are near troubling, but it means he is vastly different somewhere else. 

‘’You attacked me and invaded Latveria. You can already tell your friends of your that you are a prisoner and coming to get you will be suicide.’’ Begins the king. 

‘’I’m alone.’’ Respond Richards. ‘’And my fall on you was an error.’’

‘’Of course, Richards, it was an error…. Take me for an idiot one more time and death is waiting for you. I have pressing matter. We’ll continue our discussion tonight.’’

Richards seems to want to say something, but the doombots roughly pull him and the doors close on him.  
The king asks Kristoff and Boris to leave him alone, to brood silently in the throne room. 

Victor should kill the traveling Richards, he will be in his way. Another hero coming to save the day and helps the poor people across dimensions. Unless he’s a villain as well, trying to conquer or gain allies, which would explain why he said he was alone. Or he could keep him… The same features than his Richards, who make him a valuable asset: a brain to exploit or a slave to torture.  
Doom stops to think about the newcomer when he dwells too much on the slave aspect. He calls his minions to discuss new policies and manages the treasuries for Latveria. 

\-------------------------------------------------

Kristoff knocks on the bars of the prisoner with a glass of water and a bit of stew to feed him. The Richards lifts his eyes to stare at him and doesn’t move when Kristoff opens the cell and put the bowl and glass near him. 

‘’Who are you?’’ Asks Reed. 

‘’My name is Kristoff. I’m the king’s heir.’’ Answers Vernard. 

‘’Heir? Like a student?’’ Asks the traveler with surprise.

‘’Yes. Sometimes even a son, if he’s in a good mood.’’

‘’It’s the first time I see a Doom with a son.’’ 

‘’Oh. So you are a dimension traveler. Ad you saw many’’ 

‘’Yes. I did not intend to, but it will soon be a year I do cross the borders of dimension.’’

‘’How many have you been too?’’

Reed takes a pause. ‘’Around fifteen. ‘’

‘’What are you searching.’’

‘’My friends.’’ Reed pauses again and looks at Kristoff. ‘’We fell into an incursion hole and we were discarded. I found my Johnny dead in the morgue of a Stark in the twelfth dimension I went.’’ 

‘’I can speak to my father. You are not ill-mannered and he’ll surely understand you won’t be in his way.’’

‘’This Doom is a villain isn’t it?’’

‘’Yes, like most of them I presume.’’ Kristoff pauses as well. ‘’ Please do not try to neutralize him-‘’

‘’I won’t.’’

The prince nods and gets out the cell. Boris closes the dungeon door behind him and informs him of the newest decisions of the master. 

Richards sigh in his cell. It’s dry and he has an actual bed and a view on the castle garden. He gets his stew and eats it with appetite. The cell specifically designed for someone who could escape by any cracks or little hole of any sort. Even his oxygen was supplied by complex vents system. He could see blades and laser detection system in them. His powers could help him to escape, but he would be seen before it happens. 

\-----------------------------------------

Doctor Doom let his servant tells the guards the new policies and let the peasants alone. He gets in his bedroom, still the newcomer in his mind, thinking of ways to pick information from this man.  
The king scoffs to see a message from his Mister Fantastic. The man was trying to arrange a meeting of some sort, surely to rile and distract him again. He’s not in the mood to answer the cursed leader of the Fantastic Four. 

The king looks in his window, thinking alone again, to decide what task should have the men in his dungeon. His guard has not alerted him of any escape or attack. A submissive Richards? That would be surprising. 

Doom first answer his Richards by pure rancor and walks to the dungeon. Kristoff intercepts him rapidly, sharing the conversation with the prisoner briefly. He opens the door loudly to makes his presence acknowledged. 

‘’You have not escaped yet, Richards. I must appreciate your obedience and resolution.’’ Begins Doctor Doom. 

‘’Why use my energy uselessly. I have to recognize the work and genius in this cell. I am truly sealed.’’ Answers Richards, showing his empty hand. 

‘’You recognize you are outmatched by a Doom. ‘’ The king chuckles darkly. ‘’Then I perhaps will let you alive. For amusement. ‘’

‘’Why not use me in a scheme so I can be an imposter with your Richards?

‘’And what makes you believe you remotely resemble my Richards?’’

‘’Because of the way you looked at me.’’ 

‘’By the way I…?!’’ Doom is taken aback by the answer. ‘’What do you mean by that, worm?’’

‘’Your eyes went soft, then hardened. You must have thought I was someone else for sure.’’ Reed sighs. ‘’Look I can do any masquerade you want. I just need to get in other dimensions. Kristoff must have told you, isn’t it? I’m not here to put any Doom away from their throne or combat anyone in the way. My device that helped travel broke when I fell on you.’’

‘’You want to make a deal I suppose?’’

‘’if it’s not with you, it’s with someone else.’’

‘’If you help Doom, you will be chased by the heroes.’’

‘’I’m not here to stay. Unless I can join my friends. I try to borrow interdimensional transmitter when I can.’’

Doctor Doom crosses his arm and looks in the cell. This Richards has nobles intention, however, his attitude has something very suspicious. He gives a few seconds to make the imposter plan. 

‘’Can you stretch?’’ Asks Doom. 

‘’Yes.’’ Reed grabs a part of his plate, pulls on it, stretching it and deforming the porcelain like it’s a chewing gum. ‘’Like this.’’

‘’Can you stretch your limbs?’’ 

 

The traveler frowns, and pulls on his right wrist, stretching the limb, but he doesn’t look very comfortable doing so. He takes several minutes to put back his arm to normal.

‘’You have a variant power of the Reed Richards here. You cannot go in person, but perhaps as a message on the phone or a video conference…’’ States Victor.

‘’And you let me build another Dimensional crossing bracelet?’’ Asks Reed. 

‘’Yes. Only if it works. There are many ways I can use you.’’

Victor scrutinizes the Richards when he notices him blush slightly. Perhaps he’s imagining it. 

\--------------------------------------------

Victor is scribbling on a piece of paper ideas for robots and ideas to take down the Iron Man armor when his work is interrupted by a knock. 

‘’Master, Doctor Strange and Reed Richards are here.’’

‘’Already? Has Kristoff entertain them?’’

‘’He is doing so. Do I give the costume to our guest?’’

‘’Absolutely. Inform me of any suspicious activity.’’

‘’Of course, your majesty. 

Boris opens the door wider for his master. The Latverian monarch takes a breath to put presence in his posture and walks to meet the heroes. 

Kristoff is speaking to them calmly, discussing petty things to put them at ease. Richards, the real one, look at him sternly and Strange keeps his stoic face. Kristoff opens the door for the dining room and before the king can enter, Richards stops and ask to speak to him privately. Doom agrees and makes the American follows him for a more discreet room.  
Doom has the lead and Reed follows him behind. 

‘’Doom, where were you all this time?’’ Asks Richards. 

‘’I was investigating what you could not.’’ Answers Doom, without turning his head to Mister Fantastic. 

‘’What are you talking about?’’ 

‘’Don’t be innocent, I saw the hole in the sky, the beings. I know you were there. And while you stay on Earth, I travel to understand. ‘’

‘’At least I’m reassured it wasn’t for an all mighty plan to conquer Earth, but I assure you those are not what you think.’’

Doom opens a door. Of course, Reed tries to keep him out his way, like always. Almost touching to know his nemesis care about him, sometimes it gives him hope… Victor chases the thought. The alternate Richards is supposed to come this way. He could neutralize his Richards to swap with the alternate. However, Strange would notice too quickly. He looks in front of him to be sure his devices are here to make Richards feel he has no chance of success in attacking him.

‘’Doom? There’s R….’’

‘’I told you taking me for a fool is stupid. I made you learned it the hard way. I know what I saw.’’

‘’What’s this?’’ Asks Reed pointing the crescent-shaped device. 

‘’It’s a vibranium energy nullifier. Yes, you better watch your back next time you stand up against me.’’

‘’You must have taken some much time to construct all the deadly gadgets. And yet you could use them to save the world.’’

Victor crosses his arm again. Richards never used such a soft tone to speak about his construction, but perhaps the moron has learned respect after all these fails with his teammates. 

‘’Any other questions? I hope you didn’t want us alone for only one.’’

Mister Fantastic’s gaze shift, he seems to remember something. 

‘’Why do you hate me so much?’’

Victor laughs loudly. 

‘’Always the trivial question. But if you need an answer, a vicious circle of defeat by your undeniable luck makes my grudge greater. One day, luck will lose you and your sheer intellectual won’t help you. Because I am far superior to you’’ 

Reed stays stoic and Victor wonders if it’s the fact they are alone for once that let him show more of his true color. 

‘’Have you ever tried to diplomatically talk to me?’’ Asks Reed. 

‘’Of course! It’s been years I try to! But your pitiful, lousy ‘’friends’’ and your wife act like if I was a vile snake trying to kill you.’’

‘’So you don’t want to kill me?’’

‘’It may cross my mind.’’

‘’You don’t want to kill me, and you want to talk normally. Since when do you care?’’

‘’Care of what? You?’’

‘’Yes. You never told me…’’

Victor feels a bit of sweet running on his temple, he is in hot water. Richards never got so indiscreet. 

‘’And why do you care?’’ Asks the Latverian king, trying to put the hero on the spot. 

‘’Well because I believe in you.’’ Stops Reed, waiting for Doom’s reaction. ‘’Because I know under all this, you want to help. It’s just your way I don’t like.’’

Victor blinks. Mister Fantastic, in all their careers, never spoke so directly. Perhaps with the incursions and the sword of Damocles up their head, he shows his true colors. And perhaps he should too. In years of years of repressed feelings, to see an opening from the one creating them… is just absurd. Too much to bear.  
It can’t be! His heart preventing him from dismissing with reason Richards, just in a pitiful hope of acceptance or worse, reciprocate.

‘’I could learn to love you.’’ Utters Reed like he’s talking to a friend.

Doom makes a sound like he’s been hit in the stomach by Thor’s hammer. 

‘’I-I think you should, because I can tell you I already lo-‘’ Begins Doom, throat tight. 

‘’Victor! I knew you were not honest when you told me to come supper here! I found out you tried to make someone communicate to New York to sabotage me and Strange! And always so in depth in your monologue, you didn’t notice I went awa-‘’ Reed stops and notices the alternate Reed with his nemesis. ‘’Who are you?’’

Doom’s mouth falls agape. He doesn’t know if he should feel relive of incredibly angry to have almost revealed his deepest secret to a total stranger instead of the real deal. Of course, it was too good to be true…  
To prove the point, the Richards before him removes his brown contact lenses, showing his emerald eyes. 

‘’I’m Reed Richards, please to meet you Mister Richards.’’ 

‘’ You work with Doom?’’

‘’Yes. I made a deal.’’

‘’Why not with me, or anyone else than him!’’

‘’Because I was here in the first place and he thought I was an enemy.’’ The traveler begins to whisper. ‘’I’m sorry Doom, I entered the room when Richards went away when you weren’t looking, and I meant to tell you b-‘’

‘’ENOUGH! GUARDS!’’

Alternate Reed back off and quickly exits the room where doombots wait for him. Doom walks to the dining room in a heavy walk. Mister Fantastic doesn’t dare speak to him in this mood. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The Latverian king makes circles in his bedroom. He regrets, he punishes himself for thinking as a teenager in hormones. He hesitates to kill the demon with green eyes. His Richards made a complete fuss about it.

Doctor Doom storms in the dungeon. The alternate Reed Richards downs his eyes when he sees him. 

‘’I’m sorry.’’ States the traveler. 

‘’You better be, I made a fool of myself.’’

‘’Not in front of him.’’ Tries to comfort Reed. 

‘’ Why did you ask that! All those questions! You should have kept your mouth shut! Just told me he was away.’’

‘’I was... I was curious. I’m good to read emotions. I thought I saw something before. I-I just wanted to confirm.’’

‘’It wasn’t of your goddamn business, you mangy mutt!’’

‘’I know… But I never thought it was possible.’’ Reed looks at Doom, still fuming in his armor. ‘’You know, I was in love with my Victor. Who am I to judge?’’

Oh, the irony.  
Doom takes a step back. Oh, the irony he meets a Reed Richards looking like his and in love with his nemesis, accepting all the flaws and insanity from him to love past that. 

‘’And now what? Searching for your friends and a possible Doom to bring along? It’s pathetic!’’ States Victor. 

‘’No, I don’t need Doom, like you don’t need Reed. I can live with a broken heart. Time heals.’’ The traveler sighs. ‘’If you don’t need me anymore. Let me go. There’s no need for me here. It will be better for the both of us.’’

The king doesn’t answer, but Richards hear a low chuckle, becoming louder. 

‘’You have the NERVE to believe I’ll let you after this humiliation!’’ Shouts the monarch. 

Doctor Doom gets out the dungeon, slamming the door behind him. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

A week later. The monarch decided he couldn’t’ keep the traveler. Let him go and forget him. 

When the king comes at night, Reed sits in the middle of his cell with a grim expression. The wall of his prison has have been stretched inside, doing a very thin horizontal stalactite. The traveler must have tried to break it to escape. There’s also a part of the glass cell excessively stretched out: he must have tried to stretch it out until the material break. 

“Unsuccessful, I see.” Comments Doom. 

“Your Richards must be greatly ingenious to have a cell like this.” Retorts Reed. 

“And you’re not?”

“I’m not used to it.”

“What are you used to, traveler? What threat did your Doctor Doom pose?”

Reed lifts his eyes to meet the grimace of the king’s mask. He gets up slowly and gets near the glass. 

“His ideal world was controlled by technology and he was fond of poison.” Answers the extradimensional habitant. 

Victor touches the panel beside the cell and the glass gets intangible. Reed steps out. 

“May I use your laboratory?” Asks Richards. 

“It won’t be necessary.” Respond Doom.

The Latverian hands a device to the traveler. Richards inspect it and test it. 

“So, I’m really free to go. Also, I didn’t know you were fond of dimensional travel.” States Mister Fantastic. 

“You don’t know me.”

Reed doesn’t answer.

\----------------------------------------------------------

The table feels awkward by the way Namor ogles Susan. Reed tries his best to distract the prince of the sea. Ben and Johnny try to help him and Susan royally ignores him. Doctor Doom looks at his dubious plates instead of listening to their meaningless and useless conversations. 

“So, Victor, how have been your supper with Wakanda?” Asks Sue, to deviate the attention of the Atlantean. 

“Diplomatic and nothing more.” Answers the Latverian. 

“Like T’Challa will ever give more. An uptight king for an overrated country.” Sneers Namor. 

“And you’re not, Namor.” Retorts Johnny.

“You’re just an earth walking peasant and you do not even have a property to dare confront me.” Cuts the Atlantean. 

“You just proved his point, fishstick.” Says Ben. 

“Okay, enough. Eat your plate.” Orders Susan. “Namor, don’t look at me.” 

Everyone looks at their plate, not convinced. Susan was never the best cook, but it’s the only one who proposed.  
Susan takes a bite of her roast beef. Namor begins to discuss the way they could attack the Mole man and Diablo, the matter of their meeting. 

They quickly forget the supper and begin heated arguments over how to attack them. Namor and Doom suggest a devastating attack, ensuring both Mole man and Diablo neutralization, while Reed counters them with something longer, but that would spare both villains. 

Ben and Johnny join Reed. Victor argues Diablo will soon know their plan and it’s better to act quickly. Susan prefers to not kill anyone. Namor quickly gets on her side. Doctor Doom is outmatched on the decision and Reed quickly begins to unfold the plan. 

\----------------------------------

Later in the night, Doom looks at Namor trying to woo the Invisible Woman is risible attempts. The two morons have gone away and Reed is certainly near, to jump at the sea king if anything happens. 

Mister Fantastic gets out the shadows of the living room to stops beside the Latverian, looking at Susan too.  
And since the alternate Reed and their… lengthy discussion, Richards seems suspicious of something.

“Why do you insist on killing, Victor?” Asks Mister Fantastic.

“When your habitation is infested by cockroaches, do you kill them, or deport them?” Asks Victor. 

“They’re human. How can you compare them to cockroaches?”

“Because they offer nothing more than an annoyance.” 

“Is that how you treat everyone? Is your people nothing more than rats?”

“You dare! Have my people ever tried to kidnap your families?”

“You did! And you represent them. You call yourself a king, but you are merciless.”

“To the enemy.” Victor calms his tone. “And Latverian deserves everything. “

“Mole man is a king too. He will be mourned too. You act like they’re alone. They’re not like you.” 

“Like me? You think I won’t be mourned?”

“Have you ever, ever wondered that your people are like you, wearing a mask? What makes you think they really love you? You’ll be replaced the second you fall. ”

Doom scoffs. Reed is playing a dangerous game. A bold bluff. The American knows nothing. Just a useless provocation, Doom will not give in. 

“Perhaps, I exaggerate. Perhaps they love the idea of Doctor Doom, the king who liberated them. But how many people will love you once your crown is put down? How many love you, for who you are? Certainly not me!”

“Are you having a competition, Richards?”

“No, I just want to prove a point. You kill because you can’t think of the people who love them because you have none.”

“You know nothing and you d-“

“I know you! Not even your own son and Boris could truly endure you!”

The shouts made Susan and Namor get near.  
Doctor Doom slaps Reed from the back of his hand. His heart stings.

“I have people that love me, and I get victorious most of the time, even when I lose, I get up because of them. You have nothing. “ Continues Reed. 

“And this is clearly getting over your head, moron!” Shouts back Doom. “You sound like an old fool trying to get an ignorant in a cult!”

“Well maybe if you weren’t such an asshole, you wouldn’t be so defensive!”

“If you weren’t so blind to people’s emotion while talking about love, your wife would stop complaining and you would have one less enemy against you!”

Victor leaves, vexed and embarrassed of an emotional quarrel. Reed looks at his nemesis confused and at Susan who blushed like a teenage girl to be exposed like this. 

Ben and Johnny get down when they hear Namor shouts against Reed.  
The king leaves them. He won’t come back until he can make Richards apologies. To prove him wrong. Falling in love was an immature error since the beginning. He doesn’t need such an entitled fool. There’s no hope for such a cretin. 

The Latverian gets in his castle closes his laboratory shut and orders two assassins to kill Diablo and the Mole Man. If Richards has to call him, it will be for a good reason and not a hypocrite alliance. 

\-------------------------------------------------

The death of the two low villains made the news, but Richards didn’t call Latveria. Surely their deaths disguised as accident fooled the American genius as well.  
However, Victor was still bitter from his quarrel. His son and servant are barred from his laboratory while he broods. 

The king tries to distract himself from this trifling altercation by plunging in his creations: perfecting his spying robot, to perfect a trap against the American if they dare enter his castle. He doesn’t notice time passing. 

“Victor.”

“Victor!”

Doctor Doom turns around dramatically, disturbed in his work. It’s the interdimensional Reed standing, arms crossed. 

“Hello…” Says Reed, alternate Reed. 

“What are you doing here, Moron? I freed you.” Retorts Doom, angrily. “You went away weeks ago.”

“Yes, but I found my friends. And my dimension is gone to ashes. “

“You and your pitiful friends want asylum? How childish.”

“Not really. Don’t be arrogant. I just know how you were vexed when I went away. I was too. I wanted to clarify “

“Vexed?! You know nothing!”

“I… You think you can hide everything behind your armor, don’t you?” The green-eyed man sighs. “It seems I will have to be a vagabond for a while. SWORD agents are after me. They don’t trust anyone. And now I’m alone again. I sent Ben and Susan somewhere safe, but I had to stay here.”

Doom stiffens and stops his Reed’s speech from his mind. If the traveler stays around and gets to like him, his Richards will see he was in the error. Proved wrong by himself from another dimension. The irony. 

“Then stay here. In the castle. Lay low. SWORD knows better than to come here.” States Doom, sighing theatrically.

“What? Really? Are you sure?” The Traveller pauses. “Did you get fond of me?”

“I’ll throw you in the dungeon if you don’t get out my visage.”

\------------------------------------------------

Victor groans again. Boris tries to sew his wounds rapidly. If the cursed Fantastic Four hadn’t found his plan about Atlantis, he wouldn’t have Grimm thrown full force against him. It was even Richards who got him out the crater of the wall to let him slump on the ground in his shattered pride.  
Doom curses and moves again. 

“Master! Please! I’m sorry, but I require you to not move an inch.” Asks Boris. 

“Faster! I do-“

“You will not move from this bed until the treatment is over. You have broken bones. You do not wish the mere servant see you limp, your majesty.”

Doom clenches his teeth and let his dearest servant quickly finishes the sutures before injecting healing serum. Boris let him alone to heal. At least he knows no one will come dare disturb him, Boris will ensure it.  
The king feels drowsy once the pain diminishes. He closes his eyes and let his body rest. 

Someone knocks at the door. Victor opens his eyes and stares at the door. The door opens smoothly. 

Reed sits on the bed. “Why did you lockdown everything? I got worried you were dying.”

“Tell me your intentions. I have no time to give for stupidities.”

“Just to see if you’re okay.” The traveler gets up. “It’s the first time someone reacts like that when I get concerns for them.”

“I already have Boris for that.”

“Only one person? Why? Why not your entire country so they can chant happily when you’re better?”

“And get attacked when I’ll still be in bed. You think like no one wants to kill you.” 

“Right. I should think of it now that I live with you.”

The green-eyed man closes the door behind him. 

\----------------------------------------

Kristoff knocks on his father’s door. He doesn’t expect a response but expects even less the door opening in storm with the king staring at him intently. 

“Good morning, Father.” Begins Vernard. “The council is waiting and I believe Mister Richards is in your laboratory.” 

Victor checks his camera and puts alarm. The traveler seems to inoffensively arrange some robots. If anything suspicious happens, he will know. 

The king and the heir walk in the council. They wait for the fools to stop debating useless subjects such as the glass shortage. The council quickly ask their questions and Kristoff answers them so his father doesn’t get frustrated at their debility.  
Doctor Doom armor signal suspicious activities and he lets his son plan the new emplacement of the doombots with the council. 

The Latverian walks to his main laboratory. He opens the door and is greeted by a ten-foot doombot. His latest design that he didn’t make yet. 

“Richards.” Begins Victor in a dry tone. “What’s the meaning of this?” 

“Hum? Oh, that? I was rusty in mechanics so I practice with this design. Fairly complex for such a huge robot.” Explains Reed. “But that! That’s something I want you to make!” 

Victor clenches his teeth. The plan of the machine that robbed his visage. The plan that began all. It was hidden in a chest, shut tight. 

“How did you get your hand on this?” Asks Doom, regretting to have allowed the alternate Reed in his castle. 

“I picked the lock for the room with a chest. Then I picked the lock of the chest and fought the couples of demons. It-“ Explains Richards. 

“You defeated the demons?!”

“Yes. I’m rusty in mechanics, even more in magic, but I know the basic.”

Victor crosses his arms. A Richards that knows magic. Or at least one that accepts its existence. He forgets to be mad at that he stole his plans from his shut chest. 

“You have to do this, or show me! From the pentagram and the Summarian, it’s to bring back souls. Could even go to resurrection.” Reed puts the plan on the table excitedly. “A machine like that tricks the Devil and makes Death shivers.” 

“It’s flawed.” 

“Uh…?”

Richards scrutinize the plan and points a formula in the middle. 

“These numbers are out of place. That’s not you. I know how you work.” States the traveler. 

“You’re right. It’s my Richards. Jealous, he sabotaged my machine.” 

“So you did it!” Exclaims Reed. “What happened?” 

“Disfigured. Scarred. All because of an ignorant man that wanted to prove me magic didn’t exist.” 

The green-eyed Reed stays silent and looks down at the plan. He looks at the plan, with a sorrowful expression. 

“You could do it again.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Respond Doom. 

“I think your son is trying to contact you.”

The king looks down on his wrist. There’s a circle flashing, indicating he has a call from Kristoff. 

\-------------------------------------------------------

The Alternate Richards was indeed pursued by SWORD. Doom had countered at least three spies and got a dry message from Abigail. At this point of insistence coming from the space protection program, Doom suspected the Mister Fantastic he protected was hiding something. However, he couldn’t’ care less. He lied to SWORD about his presence. The traveler was adequate to sooth his tempering mood over Americans and imperfection in his castle. 

The traveler was gifted of an unfair patience. From an open mind that made Victor a little ashamed. Furthermore, the green-eyed visitor was benevolent to help Doom in the research for the incursions and fight off American heroes if necessary.  
The green-eyed man is astray, floating between dimensions. He has no home, willing to help the villain that gives him one. And yet, he still calls himself a hero. 

The castle is asleep. It’s been three days since the last Sword agent. A whole week since an American tried to infiltrate Latveria. And many more weeks since the last incursions.  
It’s silent in the corridors. The king writes the plan for the treasuries of the castle. He lifts his eyes he hears an echo.  
The Latverian silently gets up and swiftly walks to the source of the echo. He opens the door of Richards’s quarters. No one is there, but the king notices the notes and the broken vase on the ground. His sensors pick a surge of energy to his right, a portal. Someone dragged Reed into it. 

Victor enters the invisible portal. He’s in a warehouse, behind trucks and pile of aluminum. He hears Hank Pym speaking loudly.  
From the shadow, the Latverian gets near the scene without being seen.  
Hank Pym, with a purple costume and beetles crawling on him, points a gun to a Reed in yellow costume. The alternate one. The traveler has bloodied nose and holds a bottle.  
Pym gives a last warning to Reed to give him the bottle. 

“No. You can’t.” Repeats Richards, in distress. 

Pym shot and Richards shouts in pain, dropping the bottle. 

“Why Reed? Why? There’s no need for all this. Why do you still want to believe the universe will live? Everything will crash down.” States Pym, without pauses. 

“Yes, it might crash down! But you’re just helping it by…” Reed groans. “Think about it. There’s a universe where a Janet lost her Hank.” 

Hank makes a grimace and takes the bottle. 

“I prefer to die alone than see her die again.” Specifies the alternate Hank. 

Hank jumps when Doom grabs his wrist about to open the bottle. 

“Doom…? I thought you were dead, you fuck.” Pym pauses. “Green…? Were your orange clothes in the washing machine?”

Victor doesn’t answer and punches the insane man. The bottle falls on the ground and Reed quickly catches it, grunting of pain. 

Pym gets up, beetles swarming. 

“My bad, you’re not our Doctor Doom. He would have used a dagger.” Says Hank. 

“What’s in the bottle?” Asks the Latverian. 

“See for yourself.”

“No!” Exclaims Reed. 

“You’re coming back with me. While you…” Begins Doom. 

Pym uses his beetles to block the energy bolt from the king. The Latverian uses the trucks around to throw them against alternate Hank. 

“Richards. Open a portal.” Orders Victor. 

Reed grunts, holding the bottle tighter and uses his device to open a door to another dimension. Doctor Doom uses an aluminum pipe, pierces Pym from the stomach to back, the momentum throwing the insane man into the portal, between life and death. 

Richards is shaking and drowsy from the blood loss. He faints. 

\-------------------------------------

The traveler opens his eyes. His shoulder feels sore and numb. He looks, there are bandages. The bottle is not here. He’s about to jump out the bed, it waddles before his face.

“What’s in this?” Asks Doctor Doom, sitting near the bed. 

“…A weapon. But also something that saves a universe.” Answers the green-eyed man. 

“And he wanted to use it to destroy the dimension he took you in?”

“Yes. And more.”

Reed pauses and pulls his covers. He notices he’s not in the same clothes. 

“It’s the second time you save me. And I owe you for falling on you it seems.”

“You have a lot of work to do.”

Reed rolls his eyes and lay down. He looks at the king perplexed when the Latverian lifts his hands.

“How did you get your powers?” Asks Doom. 

“We fell into Gamma rays test lab when we were testing materials for a spaceship.”

“Gamma rays? And how did the Hulk have his powers?”

“He’s a Kree experiment. But what’s the connection? Do I look like your Hulk?”

Doom doesn’t answer. 

“Perhaps there’s one. I mean isn’t there an infinite of dimension? One where Janet and Pym are happily married. One where the Fantastic Four have all the same powers. One where Reed stays with his family and isn’t attracted by a weird council of Reed. One… Where Reed has a father. One where…” Richards pauses. “I’m sorry. I’m tired. I’ll make breakfast and bring it to your bed so you don’t have to make me remember you saved me and I didn’t do anything.”

Victor doesn’t have the heart to tell to Reed it’s his Richards who has a father. 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

Latveria is in the summer festivals. It’s been months since the last incursion.  
Victor helps his citizen to set the decors and makes an appearance to throw bread and gold at the people in awe. 

Most of the guards at the castle had gotten used to the alternate Richards. The green-eyed Red helped them for the decoration. Kristoff and Boris have over their heads of work. 

Once the sunset begins, the banquets begin. The guards begin to drink before eating. So do the king and the heir.  
Boris watches them closely and Reed eats peacefully. His Doom never invited him in Latveria. He never saw happy Latverian, only frightened ones.  
Richards looks at the king speaking to his son in a soft tone. It’s been more than a month he resides in Doomcastle. He was worried he would fall for the king because he missed his Doom, but except the look, there are differences. He embraced the difference. Accepting the flaws was easy, they almost had the same, almost. The Doom here was more stubborn.  
Reed accepted he was in love again recently and wooing the monarch is fairly complex.

The traveler takes a sip and wonders if Ben and Susan are okay. He sips wine and eats food surrounded by happy people and flowers while they are in a sanctuary of Inhumans. He doesn’t know if they are okay if they enjoy their new life. 

The night goes on, the troubadour continues to sing their poems and the musician makes the public place buzzing. 

Once the sun begins to appear, Boris takes the prince to his bedroom. The king totters in the corridors. Reed helps him to get to his bedroom.

“You didn’t drink, Reed?” Asks Doom, in a hoarse voice. 

“I did to accompany the lamb. “ Respond Richards.

“You’re not a drinker. Pity.”

“I have bad memories of doing so.” 

Reed stops his walk and pushes Doom to make go behind him. Namor is waiting in the corridor. 

“You took your moment.” Comments the traveler, bitter. 

“Who are you?” Spits Namor. “A Doppelganger created by this foolish man? Step aside from your master, I have business to finish.”

“No. Yo-“

Reed steps back of surprise and Namor hit Doom. The king falls on the ground from his lack of balance. Namor is about to punch him and the Traveller takes the wall and stretches it to block the sea prince punch. The rock shatters under the hit and deviates the punch. 

“Come another day if you have honor!” Asks the alternate Reed. 

“Get away, Earth worm!”

The Sub-Mariner makes a groan of pain when he’s electrocuted by the king. Doom is sitting and holding his hand up, ready to shoot. Richards reacts quickly and takes the ground to stretch it around Namor’s legs. The prince easily breaks the wood retaining his legs, but it gave Reed enough time to grab a metal portrait and smash it against his jaw. 

“You dare…!” Growls Namor. 

“Namor!”

Alternate Reed and the Atlantean turns around to face the Fantastic Four coming down. 

“Namor. Get away! You can’t deal with Doom alone. And you have no right to do so!” Exclaims Susan. 

“The cretin is crawling on the ground. I can take him. I just have to squash the insect with him.” Respond Namor, voice full of venom. 

“You’re still here?” States Mister Fantastic. 

“Yes.” Answers alternate Reed. 

“Why?”

“Some people here are after me. I have to hide.”

“With Doom?”

“It works.” The traveler pauses. 

“You help him, don’t you! His plan to take over the world. You made the error to attack Atlantis. And you will pay. IMPERIUS REX!” Shouts Namor. 

In a second, the traveler grabs Doctor Doom by the shoulder and lift him to push him against the wall. They dodge Namor’s first hit, but the Latverian takes the second. Alternate Reed stretches the wall again to protect the king from anymore hit.  
The traveler opens the floor by stretching it and falls in it with the king to flee while Namor breaks the stretched wall. 

The doombots agglomerates around their master and Reed. The traveler lifts Doom again and helps him walk across the room, between the chairs and table to get to the door before Namor come. 

“Reed!”

The traveler turns back and Mister Fantastic, alone, come to them. The traveler makes Doom sits in a chair and he crouches, his hand on the cement ground, ready to stretch it. 

“Susan is taking care of Namor,” Reed explains. “I want to speak to you.”

“I’m listening.” Says alternate Reed. 

“Come with me. Victor has nothing to offer you. He’s using you.”

“No. That’s not true. But even if it’s true, I owe him.” 

“Don’t do this to yourself. I’ll talk to the ones chasing you.”

Alternate Reed quickly pulls the ground to make a wall between them. Mister Fantastic stretches up and grabs the Traveler's wrist.  
“You won’t be able to stop me.” Says Mister Fantastic. 

“I’m not coming with you. I’ll put your family in danger!” 

“Liar! You’re me! You know how to put the one you love out of danger!” 

Alternate Reed grabs his interdimensional device and intentionally breaks it. He smashes Mister Fantastic face and the discharge from the broken gizmo stuns the hero.  
The green eye man tries to wake Doom up, it fails. He runs near Richards and stretches the ground to make a shell around him. 

“Victor…! Victor! I can’t lift you properly with your amour on! Wake up!” Says the traveler, shaking the king to wake him up. 

Alternate Richards hears the cement breaking and Mister Fantastic hands slams on his face. 

“Enough. I can’t let you help Doom.” States the hero. 

“Is… Is it because you see yourself?” Asks the green-eyed man. “Is it because you fear to become a villain?” 

“I’m sending you back to your family.” 

“I’ll put them in danger. I’m not here for pleasure.”

“There’s an infinite amount of dimension and you chose this one as you asylum for a reason.” 

“Yes.”

Mister Fantastic pulls the traveler and smashes him on the ground. 

“I’ll found what Doom did to you. I’ll liberate you!” States the hero. 

“I’m not under his control!” Shouts the alternate Richards. 

“I don’t believe it!”

“Not every Reed hates Doom! Is that so hard for you to understand!?”

The traveler stretches Mister Fantastic limbs, getting out his grip easily. 

“Well, this one is a wretched demon that calls himself human and a king. He’ll suck everything in you before throwing you away at his tiger. If you stand up, he’ll break every bone you have while insulting every fiber of your being to dare to exists. He only wants power over everything. And it includes you!” States Richards. 

“Liar. I know it and you know it.” Respond alternate Reed. “You have never let him a chance not even tried to understand him. “

“And you have I suppose?!”

The traveler gets up and grabs a doombots to tip off its arm. He uses the arm to shoot the hero getting dangerously near the Latverian. 

“Yes, I have! I’m in love with him!”

Mister Fantastic stops dead in his track. 

“This is a very bad joke.” States the hero. 

“It’s not. You said it. There’s an infinite amount of universe and possibilities.” Respond the green-eyed man. 

Alternate Richards shoot the hero with the robotic arm to chase him off. The rest of the doombot attack Mister Fantastic.  
The green eye Reed reaches the king, still asleep. 

The alternate Reed jumps when he hears a bang. A trap just got triggered and Mister Fantastic is in the middle of it. He’s under an electrical filet and groans of pain.  
The alternate Reed quickly gets to his aid. He stretches the ground and lifts the filet from Mister Fantastic. 

“I’m letting you go. Please, stop chasing us.”

Mister Fantastic gets up and glares at the green-eyed man. He stretches to the ceiling, getting in the hole they came in. 

Alternate Richards gets to the Latverian and asks the doombots to get him to his bedroom. 

He traveler sighs. At least the king doesn’t know he’s in love. 

\----------------------------------------------

Reed wakes up and gets in the laboratory. He still has things to do. He constructed a ‘’website’’ that allowed communication. It’s reached by a signal and it crosses dimension. He can talk with Ben and Sue from their inhuman sanctuary.  
However, his main goal is to find survivors of his dimension and help them find a new home. He found Kitty Pride and Amadeus Cho and helped them get somewhere safe. He also tries to get news from his Tony Stark. 

Kristoff comes to say him hello, slightly hangover. Reed almost put him back to bed, but it’s Boris who does under the king’s order.  
Doom follows quickly after, clearly, he feels heavier than his armor. He leaves a cup of herbal tea on Reed’s table, mumbling about his benefices and leaves Richards alone. 

The traveler sips his tea and he notices Norman Osborn from his dimension is trying to get to him. He quickly acts to block the insane man from entering the dimension. 

Once Reed finishes his cup, he gets to the kitchen and notices the king eating peacefully, alone. 

“Hello.”

Doom stops for a second but continues his meal. 

“Hello, Reed.” 

“How do you feel?”

“Better. You had the tea?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Reed sits beside the king. “You plan to arrange your quarrel with Namor?”

“Not today. He will wait. He won’t be able to trespass like he did anymore.”

The monarch continues to eat his meal in silence. Reed notices the mask on the corner of the table. He let the Latverian alone.

\------------------------------------------------

The traveler was left in the castle alone for several weeks. Victor had to settle things with Namor and there were complications. It gave an opportunity to Reed to see his family in the Inhuman sanctuary. 

Reed gets back to his sanctuary dimension. He takes a strong coffee and begins to improve his interdimensional website and do research on the X-Men of the world. He glances at the lock-

The bottle. 

Reed gets on his feet faster than lighting and quickly search clues on the thief that took the dreaded bottle. 

Boris enters the room to give a warm dinner to Reed, but only find the hysteric scientist running back and forth. They can’t have an intelligible conversation. 

Richards has to find the bottle. If it’s open in the dimension, their time is counted and he won’t be able to save everyone, not even a city. And it will do a domino effect on the other dimension.  
Victor can’t help him. He needs help. Quick. 

\-------------------------------------

“You’re telling me, you left it unsupervised.” Spits Brown eyes, Richards.

“It was in a locker which the key was my brainwave and the birthday of my dad devised by Planck number to the 24 digits!” Retorts the traveler. “I didn’t even tell that to Sue or Ben.”

“What’s in the bottle? I need to know to help you track the energy.” 

“It’s… A Galactus.”

“A Galactus?” Mister Fantastic repeats. “In a bottle?”

“Yes. If it’s unleashed, it might unbalance the universe and precipitate the dimension destruction.”

“Two Galactus can fuse you know.”

“Not every Galactus. Not mine. He destroyed my planet, crumbling my universe. The plan was to bottle him before he does. I was too late.”

“Who are the people that want the bottle?”

“People who lost faith, whose insanity have eaten away their mind. It’s not the point! I wasn’t able to track it at Doomcastle! I didn’t have time to make a more proficient tracker! Please, Reed!”

Mister Fantastic crosses his arms and sighs. 

“I’ll help you. At least I won’t have Victor in my legs.” 

Alternate Reed thanks him profusely. The rest of the Fantastic Four join them, looking at the green-eyed man with suspicion. 

The traveler man puts all his efforts to find the thief and stays awake days and nights to Reed disbelief. 

“It’s been four days the bottle has been stolen. He doesn’t seem interested to release Galactus.”

“Yet.” Completes the Traveller.

“You have to sleep. And eat. Take a shower too.”

“No with impending doom above our head.”

“Talking of Doom.” Mister Fantastic cuts. “It’s not going well for him. Wakanda and Atlantis are a step away from war.”

The extradimensional man sighs. If he has to get Doom out of this, he will. Even if it’s mean he has to run away from this dimension. Truly, Victor is the only thing he holds on in this dimension. He should meet more people. He should get close friends again. 

The alternate Richards gets out his thoughts and notices Reed already scanning the planet in search for the bottle. He quickly helps him.

“You’ll help him tomorrow.” Comments Susan, tugging on the green eyed-collar. “You go to sleep.”

\---------------------------------------------

White Panther falls on the ground, clutching his open wound. 

“No…! You can't-do this. You act like a child playing God!” Shouts the Wakandian.

Elektra, getting her purple skirt aside, kicks his neck, breaking it instantaneously. 

“Good. We should be left alone for a moment.” Says Elektra. 

“Not for long. He’s tracking it.” Says a voice in the shadow. 

“He? You mean Richards?” 

“Yes. I fear we may have to rush it.”

“I can activate the teleporter to get inside another dimension. Open the bottle near another Galactus and we just have to watch reality burn.”

“I want this one…. In particular to die first.”

“As you wish. Call me when things spice up.”

\-----------------------------------------------------

Elektra waits looks at the Dior perfume on the fifth avenue from the window. She watches closely the people around. She can recognize heroes a mile away. There are three around, off-duty. She hesitates between two perfumes. 

However, she notices a man quickly getting near, with dazzling green eyes. 

“Take a step more, and my knife is ending in your neck.” Comments the purple ninja, nonchalantly. 

“Okay. But you know why I’m here?” Asks the Traveller. 

“You try to rescue hero from out lost dimension. Noble of you. I need no saving, Mister Richards.”

“I know. I’m here to take you prisoner.”

Elektra takes her knife in her pocket and plays with it. 

“You know… I could miss… and an unfortunate civilian will die.” Comments Elektra. 

“You won’t have to do that if you tell me where the bottle is.” 

“Cute. But what bottle?”

“The one that left energy trace on you.”

Elektra jumps up, taking the window as a support for another jump to grab a pole. She hears people gasping under. She quickly gets on the roof and runs away. She doesn’t want to see the world burn from a prison cell.  
The purple ninja stops her track when a Human Torch throws fireballs at her. She dodges them easily and throws a Nunchaku to her aggressor. She’s hit by a wall of bricks behind her head, or what she thinks it is. 

The Invisible Woman turns her on her back. Elektra groans, her head still turns. 

The Fantastic Four bring the Alternate Elektra in the Baxter Building. The green-eyed Reed takes care to put her in a comfortable cell. However, she doesn’t speak a word. 

After two days of trying to open her up, Alternate Reed leaves her alone. Mister Fantastic is almost done finding the bottle.  
HERBIE is in charge to monitor Elektra. Mister Fantastic repairs the cell when the purple ninja damaged it by trying to get out. In the last two days, he noticed his alternate self-was only helping him occasionally, locking himself up to construct weapon and shield, very specific one. He’s not a fool. The traveler omitted to tell him the identity of the enemy. 

Reed gets in his lab, Susan is there. He gives her a goodnight kiss and reassures her. 

Alternate Reed is looking at the tracking computer with a stoic expression. 

“It seems we have our thief.” Comments Mister Fantastic. 

The Traveller sighs. 

“Let’s not lose any more time.” Respond the green eye man. 

\---------------------------------------------

The Fantastic Four enters the State University quickly. They made the building evacuate rapidly. 

“He better be there, ‘cause this going to get embarrassing.” Comments Ben. 

“He will. Or at least we’ll have the bottle.” Respond Brown eyed Reed. 

Alternate Reed abruptly stops and makes a turn. Johnny rolls his eyes and continues in the good direction. Mister Fantastic looks at Susan and she nods. She turns invisible and follows the Traveller. 

The green eyes Richards arrive near a classroom that clearly, something like a bomb blew up in there. The Invisible Woman watches him open the door and enter the classroom. The tension leaves her body once she sees a crystal golem and a blond woman with hairs falling to her hips, both of them wearing a yellow costume resembling the Travellers. 

Alternate Susan jumps in her Reed’s arms and Crystal Ben laughs heartily. The three of them quickly chat while walking to the corridor. Susan turns visible, surprising them. 

“Let’s go.” Comments the Invisible Woman.

“Are you…. Me?” Asks the long-haired Sue. 

“Yes. Please to meet you.”

“Where are the rest of your team, sweetie?” Asks Alternate Ben. 

“They went to get the bottle.”

“We better hurry before they’re dead.” 

Susan blinks and follows the group running the energy signal. 

Once the group of super hero arrives in the biggest auditorium, they find Johnny coughing like he swallowed something too big and Ben is on the ground, unconscious.  
Mister Fantastic is dodging bullets across the entire room. 

“Reed!” Shouts Susan. 

“Wait! Susan! No!” Yells the Alternate one, trying to retain her. 

The Invisible Woman runs to her husband and jumps in the air, making a force field to prevent the bullet from hitting him. She can’t see their aggressor. As she falls back on the ground with Reed, she smells… Cinnamon mixed with chemicals. Her head turns and she loses her balance. She hears her husband voice slowly and dispelling. She doesn’t feel the ground when she falls. 

“Susan! What have you done?” Shouts Mister Fantastic.

“It can’t fucking be!” Yells Cristal Ben. 

A flash of orange and Mister Fantastic is grabbed by the throat, Doctor Doom’s claws digging in his throat. He makes a yelp when he feels his skin pierced. 

“Well, well the Fantastic Four. Here to see your demise in the front seat.” Chuckles Doom. 

“I saw you die. We all saw you break into thousands of pieces when the dimension falls apart.” Murmurs long haired Susan. 

“Foolish little girl. Doom is supreme.” Respond the sorcerer. 

“Reed? You saw him die too. I know you did.” Asks Susan. 

Green eye Reed stares at the Alternate Doctor Doom like he’s trying to melt his armour and see his soul. 

“Give me the bottle.” Orders Reed, venom in his voice. 

“No.” Answers the villain, turning the object in his hand. 

“You had no right to take it.”

“I knew the code. That’s all the right I needed.” 

Mister Fantastic begins see black at the edge of his eyes, his blood running on his throat and wetting his suit. He tries to grab the bottle, but Doctor Doom throws him away. 

The orange sorcerer dramatically puts his hand on the cap of the bottle. Alternate Susan and Ben sprint to the villain. Reed runs behind them and waits for an opportunity to grab the bottle. 

Doom uses another gas to slow down the heroes, but Susan uses her wind to blow it further. Ben grabs the villain’s arm and crushes it. Reed climbs on his friend and touches the bottle, he stretches the cap to the bottom, kind of sealing it.  
The sorcerer is quick to use an acidic serum pouring from the entrance of his armor. Susan gets drops on her and backs off groaning. Ben continues to hold the villain, but Reed quickly hides behind him. 

 

Reed hears Ben shouting of pain, his crystals falling and sliding on the ground. The golem falls on his back heavily. 

“I thought I wouldn’t see you for at least a couple of years. How inconvenient.” Comments Doom. 

“I don’t want to see you anymore too.” Respond Reed. 

“Good, we’re both sets. But I’ll do miss the attention you gave me. Treating me like a deity to not anger me. “

Reed keeps his mouth shut and quickly grabs the side of Doom mask, his hand burning under the acid to stretch it around his wrist.  
The villain sighs of exasperation, unable to move his arm correctly. 

Reed tries to take the bottle from Doctor Doom’s hand. 

“Reed!” Shouts long haired Susan. 

The Traveller gasps when a knife plunges on his sternum, his flesh and bones giving up against the blade. It lodges deeply and he doesn’t notice he falls on his knees. 

Long haired Susan yells her friend’s name and slams Doctor Doom with a wall of wind. The villain falls heavily meters away, the bottle getting out his hand.  
Susan gets to her friend’s wounded body. She quickly removes the knife to prevent the poison of the knife entering more the system of Reed and press on the wound. 

“You loved him so much and look at what he does….” Whispers Susan, her throat tight. 

The long-haired woman shouts and creates a tornado when Doctor Doom tries to get up. The villain uses a gas in the tornado, and the gas erodes anything in his path. The Alternate Sue quickly stops her tornado to prevent the poisoned wind to reach them. 

“You can’t win, Susanna.” States Doom, breaking his armor to get his arm free. 

“I won’t lose without a fight!” Shouts back Sue. 

The long-haired maiden shouts when the wall of the auditorium explodes and debris flies centimeters from her head. 

“THE FANTASTIC FOUR ARE MINE TO KILL!”

Sue looks at the voice and… A green flash makes her loses her balance with Reed in her hands. She lifts her hands to prevent dust in her eyes and notice two Doctor Doom. The green one lifts her Doctor Doom and throws him against a wall. 

“YOU! YOU KEEP RICHARDS ALIVE!” Shouts the Green Doctor Doom. 

The alternate Susan nods intensely and begins to do her friend RCR since she won’t have to fight.

The poisoner gets up and huffs. 

“Why don’t you ally me with me instead of a fight. We’ll only lose time.” The Alternate Victor lifts the bottle. “We could enslave dimension with this.”

“I can do it myself.” Answers the Latverian. 

“True, there can be only one Doom.”

The orange Doctor Doom makes a lightning bolt against Victor. The king swiftly dodges the bolt and slams his counterpart against the wall.  
Doom loses the functionality of his right arm, the acid of the alternate Doom eroding the armor quickly.  
The Latverian uses magic to inverse the flow of the acid. 

“I’m immune to everything in my armor. You’ll fail because of your frail human body.” Comments the Alternate Doom. 

Doctor Doom uses his free hand to shoot an energy bolt against his counterpart. The wall behind them explodes. He loses of view his enemy. His armor quickly filters the air as unknown gas is in the area.  
The dust stays in the air unnaturally, but the gas is hydrogen. Doom snaps his fingers and a flame ignites the gas and explodes. His armor takes most of the shock, but the other Doctor Doom’s armor took a beating because of the flammable poison in the layers. 

Doctor Doom punches his counterpart to stun him, but the Orange Doctor Doom stops his attack.  
“I’ll scratch you, and you will die like a fly.” States Alternate Victor. 

The Latverian quickly looks at the burned armor of his enemy. There’s isn’t… 

“You won’t have ‘time’ to attack my integrity.” Respond green Victor. 

The Latverian promptly activates his time cube. His counterpart looks at the cube like it’s some sort of chimera, but he understands quickly, but too late.  
The dust falls back, Doctor Doom stands alone. His alternate self-sent away where dinosaurs live king. This could explain their extinctions.

Victor walks to Susanna still pumping Reed’s chest in an attempt to keep him alive. The king kneels to assist her and uses the sparse knowledge of white magic he has to heal the wound. The poison will still be active, but he’ll stop losing blood. They might have a couple of hours. 

\-------------------------------------------

Reed wakes up, he feels too hot. He opens the window, his sweat falling on the ground. 

“Reed! Get back in bed!” Orders Susanna. 

The long-haired blond pulls her friend to bed and covers him again. 

“No, it’s too hot!” Complains green eye Reed. 

“Yes, keep the cover, you’ll be freezing soon.” 

After a series of heatwave and cold, Reed falls asleep. He’s wake up by his hunger. Crystal Ben stays by his nightstand for the entirety of his hospitalization. He explains what happened, how everyone got out. Both Reed was near death. 

Alternate Richards sighs. His Doctor Doom is gone. For the moment. If he survived the implosion of a dimension, some dinosaurs won’t break one of his nails. 

“You want to go back in the Inhuman sanctuary, Sue?” Asks Reed. “Or we could search for a dimension for us.”

“You don’t’ like it here?” Asks the blond woman. 

“It’s overcrowded.”

“Come on, Sue. Exploration is our greatest job. Y’know, maybe we’ll find a Johnny all alone and scared.” States Alternate Ben. 

“… I would prefer mine.” Respond Susanna. 

“It’s good to give a chance to other, Sue.” Respond Richards. 

They stop speaking once they hear a knock on the door. Doctor Doom is standing, arms crossed. 

“Victor! Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you too much? The bottle didn’t open isn’t, it?” Asks green eyed Reed right away. 

“Everything is fine.” Answers Doom. 

“How did you know when to save us? Were you really with Namor? Where you outside for twenty minutes waiting for the right moment?” 

“Even if dramatic effect must always be on the scene, I came to you since your heartbeat dropped and didn’t go back.”

“You placed a tracker on me?”

“Yes.” 

“And you judged I was important enough so you had to save me.”

“Yes.”

“He wants to use you, Reedo!” Exclaims alternate Ben. 

“… Well of course he does.”

“Yes… You don’t mind?!” Asks crystal Ben. 

“… But at least I don’t kill people and I was staying at his castle.” 

“Well, you won’t be staying in his castle anymore. As I appreciate what he did, we can’t trust him, not with you.”

“So you are going away?” Asks the Latverian. 

“Yes… But I’ll come back here.”

“Why?” Asks Victor. 

“I won’t come anymore if I’m still in your legs.” Respond Reed, suddenly feeling his cheeks warming. 

“Reed, are you…?” Gasps Susanna. 

“Leave us alone.” Orders Victor. 

Sue, red as a peony, and Ben get out the room promptly.  
Reed doesn’t dare talk, and it leaves an awkward silence. 

“Do you want me to stay in your legs, Victor?” Finally, asks Green eyed Richards. 

“Why would you. I killed the one you loved.” States the king. 

“You’re wrong. I didn’t love him anymore.” 

“Oh. Good.”

“Thank you, by the way. I didn’t say it.” 

Reed looks up at Victor’s mask. He tries to sees his eyes, but he can’t see them, they look down. 

“Victor… I love you.” 

Victor’s eyes fly up in surprise. Alternate Reed makes his sweetest smile. There’s another heavy silence.  
Reed gets out his covers and sits on the side of his bed. He sees the king is clearly avoiding his gaze. He must not be used to emotional intimacy.

“Do you want to give it a chance?” Asks alternate Reed. “I’m not saying we should marry right away, Victor. Just let me be in your life, more than a peasant, more than a friend.” 

“I could tolerate it…” Says Victor, voice trailing. 

Green eyed Richards smirk. It’s the best he can get now. He’ll make the Latverian enjoy it soon. He gets up and kisses the mask of the king before leaving the room to see Ben and Sue. 

The Traveller turns the corner and Susanna grabs his face between her two hands. 

“What happened!? What!?Whatwhatwhat!?” Asks the blond, red as a tomato. 

“Something I hoped for?” Answers Red.

“You love him... And he loves you toooooo!!!??”

“God, Sue, Calm down. And Reed. WHAT THE HECK!? DOOM?!” Shouts Ben. 

“Miracle does happen, Ben.”

“Okay, look, we’re going back to see Medusa and Black Bolt and do a nice pic-nic with them. You stay here. For a bit. Because. Okay bye!” Shouts Susanna. 

The blond heroine grabs crystal Ben and drags him across the corridor. 

Richards gets back to his room. Doctor Doom is gone. 

\------------------------------------------------

 

Victor stares at Kristoff practicing swords and bow. Half of his projects pending are finished. He tried to conquer the world three times in two weeks. He still can’t get the green-eyed incubus out his mind. 

Boris serves wine and he chases the ministers trying to get answers. 

“Master, you have a visitor.” Says the servant. 

Victor glances over his shoulder. He stiffens and gets up. 

“You came back.” States Victor. 

“I told you I would.” Explains Alternate Reed. “Even if Susanna was mad at me. I figured you needed a bit more time.” 

Richards takes a cup of wine and sips it. 

“It’s excellent. Don’t you want to it?” Teases Reed. 

Reed takes another sip. Victor pulls him and kisses him. The Traveller opens his mouth, gasping slightly and the king drinks the wine. 

“Of course it is. Nothing in my castle will be less than excellent.” Comments Victor. 

Reed lets his cup falls on the ground and stares at Victor’s face. He kisses him again. To feel his lips against his, to know the embrace is true.


End file.
